BA 420 - Business Logistics Systems

BA 420 G01 – Seminar in Business Administration

Software Applications in Supply Chain Management

Winter 2002

Final Project Format: The final project grade will be based on a written report and an oral presentation with PowerPoint slides. The format of both should be appropriate for a consulting engagement work product being delivered to management of the host organization. Grading will be based on the content, style and correctness of the paper and the presentation. Both the written report (Word document) and PowerPoint presentation must be turned in electronically to by noon on Monday, May 13, 2002.

Written Report: The paper should be no more than 10 pages long (typed, double-spaced, 12-point font with 1 inch margins), including any appendices, references, figures, tables, exhibits, etc. Papers over 10 pages long will be penalized. The paper should be concise and carefully edited. The paper should include the following (the most important is #6):

1. Introduction.

2. Brief background and history of the organization (no more than one page), including brief descriptions of the primary activities of the organization, the logistics system (including locations of facilities, transportation modes, etc.), customer service level(s), relevant logistics management and responsibilities within the organization, and relevant logistics operations of the organization.

3. Clear statement of the problems addressed in the final project.

4. The analyses undertaken, including the data utilized, assumptions required, scope of analyses (to clarify what is and is not covered), and the analytical tools (for example, software packages) used. Clearly indicate how the analyses undertaken will address the problems in #3.

5. Results of the analyses.

6. Managerial recommendations to address the problems in #3, including key issues and concerns (for example, results and recommendations may be sensitive to certain decisions or inputs, and not to others), and any additional areas needing further analyses.

7. Conclusion, to integrate the results and recommendations (not just a summary).

Oral Presentation: The oral presentation will be 15 minutes long and can include as many PowerPoint slides as you wish. Long presentations will be penalized, as will presentations that do not cover all the slides. The PowerPoint slides should be carefully and pleasing designed for clear and effective communication. The presentation should be concise and well rehearsed. Be prepared for questions from the audience following the presentation.